Jun Seki (born May 9, 1961) is a Japanese businessman. After serving as president of Dongfeng Nissan, deputy COO of…Jun Seki (born May 9, 1961) is a Japanese businessman. After serving as president of Dongfeng Nissan, deputy COO of Nissan, and CEO of Nidec, he joined Hon Hai Technology Group in February 2023 as chief strategy officer (CSO) of the electric vehicle (EV) business.
Akira Taue (田上 明, Taue Akira; born May 8, 1961) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his…Akira Taue (田上 明, Taue Akira; born May 8, 1961) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his runs in All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah, where he worked for all of his career in both promotions. A former sumo wrestler who went under the name Tamakirin Yasumasa (玉麒麟 安正, Tamakirin Yasumasa), he retired from sumo to make his debut in pro-wrestling, where he went under his real name. He is a former Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion. He is one-half of the Holy Demon Army (聖鬼軍, Sei Ki Gun), alongside Toshiaki Kawada, where they won six World Tag Team Championships and two World's Strongest Tag Determination Leagues. In 1993, he was officially dubbed as one of the members of the Four Heavenly Kings (プロレスの四天王, Puroresu no shiten'nō; also called the Four Pillars of Heaven) of AJPW, alongside Kawada, Mitsuharu Misawa, and Kenta Kobashi.
Hidehiko Tezuka (Japanese: 手塚 秀彦, Hepburn: Tezuka Hidehiko; born April 26, 1961, in Ikeda), better known as Kazuhiko…Hidehiko Tezuka (Japanese: 手塚 秀彦, Hepburn: Tezuka Hidehiko; born April 26, 1961, in Ikeda), better known as Kazuhiko Shimamoto (島本 和彦, Shimamoto Kazuhiko), is a Japanese manga artist. He attended college at the Osaka University of Arts in the fine arts department. While in college in February 1982, he debuted in the spring special issue of Weekly Shōnen Sunday with Hissatsu no Tenkōsei. At this point, he dropped out of college and devoted his energy to becoming a manga artist. Shimamoto is responsible for several long-running and well-known manga series. He drew Honō no Tenkōsei from 1983 to 1985, as well as the Moeyo Pen saga, which began as a one-volume manga published in 1990 but was continued in two more series totaling 24 volumes. He also worked with Shotaro Ishinomori on a Skull Man manga based on Ishinomori's intended storyline, which was licensed in the US by Tokyopop. His baseball manga Gyakkyō Nine was adapted into a live-action Japanese film in 2005. His past assistants include Katsu Aki, Masaaki Fujihara, Eisaku Kubonouchi, and Tetsuo Sanjō. Some of his college classmates include Gainax founders Hideaki Anno and Hiroyuki Yamaga, among others. They later appeared as characters in his manga Aoi Honō.
Shuji Utsumi (内海州史, Utsumi Shuji; born April 19, 1961) i is a Japanese business executive and video game producer who…Shuji Utsumi (内海州史, Utsumi Shuji; born April 19, 1961) i is a Japanese business executive and video game producer who has been president and COO (chief operating officer) of Sega since April 2024. He is also CEO of Sega of America and Sega Europe. Utsumi previously held senior roles at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Sega of America, and Disney Interactive, and co-founded the Tokyo-based game studio Q Entertainment.
Hiroyuki Matsushita (松下弘幸, Matsushita Hiroyuki), also known by Hiro Matsushita (ヒロ松下), is a Japanese businessman and…Hiroyuki Matsushita (松下弘幸, Matsushita Hiroyuki), also known by Hiro Matsushita (ヒロ松下), is a Japanese businessman and former racing driver. He is the grandson of Kōnosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic. In 1989, Matsushita won the Toyota Atlantic Championship (Pacific), becoming the first and only Japanese driver to do so. He was also the first Japanese driver to race in the Indy 500.
Keishi Kameyama (亀山 敬司, Kameyama Keishi; born 1960/61) is a Japanese billionaire businessman, chairman of the internet…Keishi Kameyama (亀山 敬司, Kameyama Keishi; born 1960/61) is a Japanese billionaire businessman, chairman of the internet company DMM.com, who made his initial fortune in pornography. In 1999, Kameyama founded DMM.com, and is its chairman. DMM started in pornography and "adult entertainment", and has "grown into a vast collection of enterprises". In August 2017, Kameyama had an estimated net worth of US$3.5 billion. Kameyama is married, with two children.
Hirokazu Hamamura (浜村 弘一, Hamamura Hirokazu; born February 8, 1961), former Weekly Famitsu chief editor, now is…Hirokazu Hamamura (浜村 弘一, Hamamura Hirokazu; born February 8, 1961), former Weekly Famitsu chief editor, now is president of Enterbrain. He is also the director of Kadokawa Group Holdings, Kadokawa Group Publishing, Kadokawa Games and Walker Books. His pen name is Hamamura Tsūshin (浜村通信).
Ishinriki Kōji (born 24 January 1961 as Kōji Iibashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. His…Ishinriki Kōji (born 24 January 1961 as Kōji Iibashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. His highest rank was jūryō 1. He was one of the smallest sekitori ever at 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) and 85 kg (187 lb). After his retirement in 1990 he became a professional wrestler for a number of organizations including Super World of Sports, WAR, Pro Wrestling Crusaders and IWA Japan.
Miho Imada (Japanese: 今田 美穂; born 1962) is a sake brewmaster at Imada Shuzō in Akitsu, Hiroshima. Imada has a…Miho Imada (Japanese: 今田 美穂; born 1962) is a sake brewmaster at Imada Shuzō in Akitsu, Hiroshima. Imada has a reputation for making some of the finest sake in the world.
Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai (平井 一夫, Hirai Kazuo; born December 22, 1960) is a Japanese businessman who has served in various…Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai (平井 一夫, Hirai Kazuo; born December 22, 1960) is a Japanese businessman who has served in various positions at Sony Corporation beginning in 1984, including as president and CEO from April 2012 to April 2018 and as chairman from April 2018 to June 2019. Hirai had mostly been involved in Sony's entertainment businesses. He served as a board member of Sony Computer Entertainment and was noted by Entertainment Weekly in 2006 as one of the most powerful executives in the entertainment industry. He led this division between 2007 and 2012 succeeding Ken Kutaragi, before becoming CEO of the Sony group overall succeeding Howard Stringer. Through his tenure as CEO, Sony experienced a resurgence back to profitability and a shift towards entertainment and intellectual property. In 2018, Hirai stepped down as president and CEO to become chairman of Sony Corporation until he retired in June 2019, continuing as a senior adviser to the company until his full retirement in June 2024.
Toshimitsu Funabashi is a Japanese politician and businessman currently serving as a member of the Senate from…Toshimitsu Funabashi is a Japanese politician and businessman currently serving as a member of the Senate from Hokkaido, an office he has held since 2022. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served as a member of the House of Representatives for two periods from 2012 to 2014 and 2017 to 2021; and also as a member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2012. In the Senate, Funabashi is the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he is the director of the Fisheries Division in the Policy Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party. Thoroughout his time in the National Diet, Funabashi has held two roles in the Cabinet of Japan, serving as the Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications during the second reshuffle of the Second Kishida cabinet and Vice-Minister of Finance during the Suga cabinet.
Aguri Suzuki (Japanese: 鈴木 亜久里, Hepburn: Suzuki Aguri; born 8 September 1960) is a Japanese former racing driver and…Aguri Suzuki (Japanese: 鈴木 亜久里, Hepburn: Suzuki Aguri; born 8 September 1960) is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive who competed in Formula One from 1988 to 1995. Suzuki entered 88 Formula One Grands Prix, achieving a best result of third at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the first Asian driver to score a podium finish. He also won the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship in 1988, and later finished third overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998. He was also a race-winner in the All-Japan GT Championship. Suzuki became involved in team ownership after his Formula One career, first forming Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) in 1997 in partnership with Autobacs. ARTA has competed mostly in Super GT, where they have won titles in both the GT500 and GT300 classes. He was the owner of the Super Aguri F1 team, which participated in Formula One from 2006 to 2008. He also formed Team Aguri, which raced in Formula E from 2014 to 2016.
Michimasa Fujino (藤野 道格, Fujino Michimasa) (born March 1960) is a retired Japanese aeronautical engineer, entrepreneur…Michimasa Fujino (藤野 道格, Fujino Michimasa) (born March 1960) is a retired Japanese aeronautical engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Honda Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company. Fujino worked as chief engineer within Honda R&D, then as vice president, before he was named the project leader for HondaJet development. He was also a Honda Motor managing officer. At Honda Aircraft, he played a crucial role in the growth of the company, and was responsible for the overall strategy of its design, development, certification, marketing, sales, and production of the HondaJet. For his work at Honda Aircraft, Fujino has received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aircraft Design Award (2012), the SAE International Award, the Clarence L. Kelly Johnson Aerospace and Vehicle Design Award (2014), and the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences Award for Innovation in Aeronautics. He is the first aircraft designer to receive all four awards, as well as the first individual of Asian descent to win the AIAA award, making him a notable figure in the contemporary aviation and very light jet industry. Fujino was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2017 for the creation of the HondaJet and the formation of the Honda Aircraft Company. In 2022, it was announced that he would retire as president and CEO of the company in April, a post he held since its founding in 2006, and continue as a consultant following his retirement.
Yōichi Takahashi (高橋 陽一, Takahashi Yōichi; born 28 July 1960) is a Japanese cartoonist and manga artist, best known for…Yōichi Takahashi (高橋 陽一, Takahashi Yōichi; born 28 July 1960) is a Japanese cartoonist and manga artist, best known for his work Captain Tsubasa. Takahashi has published art books, manga, novels, and guides, most of which are about Captain Tsubasa. He is also known for his soccer series, Hungry Heart: Wild Striker. He is currently the chairman of Nankatsu SC. Yoichi Takahashi visited FC Barcelona, Tsubasa Oozora's Spanish football club in the manga, on 17 January 2016 as a guest of the club. In 2018, Takahashi received the Honorary Citizen Award from Katsushika for his contributions to the city through his manga.
Kō Nakata (Japanese: 中田 考, Hepburn: Nakata Kō; born 1960) is a Japanese Islamic scholar and author. He has written and…Kō Nakata (Japanese: 中田 考, Hepburn: Nakata Kō; born 1960) is a Japanese Islamic scholar and author. He has written and translated dozens of books related to Islam and Islamic studies, as well as a light novel and manga.
Daniel Kahl (born March 30, 1960, in Monrovia, California) is an American foreign television personality (gaijin…Daniel Kahl (born March 30, 1960, in Monrovia, California) is an American foreign television personality (gaijin tarento) and entrepreneur in Japan. He is famous for speaking fluent Yamagata-ben, the dialect of Yamagata Prefecture, a predominantly rural area. He mainly works as a television reporter for human interest stories in Japan, such as travel and gourmet programs. Following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in eastern Japan on 11 March 2011, Kahl was active in relief efforts in the affected areas, hauling food, supplies and equipment for fishermen. He also helped in combating the spread of false information regarding the spread of radiation in Fukushima after the nuclear accident there.
Makiko Ono (born March 16, 1960) is a Japanese business woman and the CEO of Suntory Beverages and Food. She is the…Makiko Ono (born March 16, 1960) is a Japanese business woman and the CEO of Suntory Beverages and Food. She is the first woman to become a Chief Executive at Suntory. She was previously responsible for foreign acquisitions, and secured partnerships with Lucozade, Ribena and Orangina. She was named as one of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women in 2023.
Yoshiro Yokomine (横峯 良郎, Yokomine Yoshirō; born March 15, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Yoshiro Yokomine (横峯 良郎, Yokomine Yoshirō; born March 15, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kagoshima Prefecture and high school graduate, he was elected for the first time in 2007. He is the father of professional golfer Sakura Yokomine.
Takako Ebata (江端 貴子, Ebata Takako) is a Japanese politician. She was a Member of the House of Representatives for…Takako Ebata (江端 貴子, Ebata Takako) is a Japanese politician. She was a Member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo's 10th district from 2009 to 2012.
Satoru Iwata (Japanese: 岩田 聡; December 6, 1959 – July 11, 2015) was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer, and…Satoru Iwata (Japanese: 岩田 聡; December 6, 1959 – July 11, 2015) was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer, and producer. Beginning in 2002, Iwata served as the fourth president of Nintendo, as well as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Nintendo of America from 2013 until his death in 2015. Iwata was a major contributor in broadening the appeal of video games by focusing on novel and entertaining software rather than top-of-the-line hardware. Born in Sapporo, Iwata expressed interest in video games from an early age and created his first simple game while in high school. He majored in computer science at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In 1980, he joined the game developer HAL Laboratory while attending the university. At HAL, he worked as a programmer and closely collaborated with Nintendo, coding his first commercial console game in 1983 and programming early Nintendo Entertainment System titles including Pinball, Golf, and Balloon Fight. Later games to which he contributed include EarthBound and numerous installments in the Kirby series. Following a financial downturn and near-bankruptcy, Iwata became the president of HAL in 1993 at the insistence of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi and restored the company's financial stability. In the following years, he assisted in the development of the Pokémon and Super Smash Bros. series. Iwata joined Nintendo as the head of its corporate planning division in 2000. Nintendo saw strong growth under Iwata, and when Yamauchi retired in May 2002, Iwata succeeded him as the company's president, becoming the first president unrelated to the Yamauchi family. Under Iwata's leadership, Nintendo developed the Nintendo DS and Wii game consoles, helping the company achieve massive financial success. As a self-declared gamer, he focused on expanding the appeal of video games across demographics through a "blue ocean" business strategy and the Touch! Generations brand. Nintendo attained record profits by 2009, and Barron's placed Iwata among the top 30 CEOs worldwide. Iwata expanded his strategy by defining a quality-of-life product line for the Wii that evolved into a ten-year strategy to create standalone products. Later hardware such as the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U proved far less profitable than the Wii, and Nintendo's net sales fell by two-thirds from 2009 to 2012, with the company recording its first operating losses in 30 years during this period. Refusing to lay off employees, Iwata voluntarily halved his salary in 2011 and again in 2014. In 2015, after several years of decline, Iwata directed a portion of Nintendo's focus into the rapidly growing mobile game market through a landmark partnership with mobile provider DeNA established that March, while overseeing early development of the Nintendo Switch. Throughout his tenure, Iwata built a close relationship with Nintendo fans through social media and his regular appearances in Iwata Asks and Nintendo Direct, becoming the public face of the company. In June 2014, a tumor in Iwata's bile duct was discovered during a routine physical exam. It was removed, and Iwata returned to work in October of that year. The illness resurfaced in 2015, and Iwata died at the age of 55 from its complications on July 11. Members of the gaming industry and players worldwide offered tributes through public announcements and social media, and fans established temporary memorials around the globe. Iwata was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Golden Joystick Awards and the 2016 D.I.C.E. Awards.
Kenichiro Yoshida (born 20 October 1959) is a Japanese businessman currently serving as executive chairman of Sony. He…Kenichiro Yoshida (born 20 October 1959) is a Japanese businessman currently serving as executive chairman of Sony. He previously served as president and CEO from April 2018 to April 2025, succeeding Kazuo Hirai, prior to which Yoshida was the company's chief financial officer.
Miki Watanabe (渡邉 美樹, Watanabe Miki; born October 5, 1959) is a Japanese entrepreneur and politician. He founded the…Miki Watanabe (渡邉 美樹, Watanabe Miki; born October 5, 1959) is a Japanese entrepreneur and politician. He founded the Watami chain of izakaya restaurants and headed the company until 2011, when he resigned to run in the 2011 Tokyo gubernatorial election. Watanabe's run for the governorship of Tokyo was inspired by Michael Bloomberg's mayorship of New York City. Watanabe came in third with 16.8%, losing to incumbent governor Shintaro Ishihara.
Takahiro Hachigo (八郷隆弘, Hachigō Takahiro; born 19 May 1959) is a Japanese engineer and businessman, who has been the…Takahiro Hachigo (八郷隆弘, Hachigō Takahiro; born 19 May 1959) is a Japanese engineer and businessman, who has been the chief executive officer of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., from June 2015 - April 2021 and was succeeded by Toshihiro Mibe. Prior to this, Hachigo was a managing officer at Honda, and started his career at Honda in 1982 as a chassis engineer. As CEO, Hachigo sought to streamline the manufacturing process by merging certain operations between motorcycles and cars, and while also lowering the costs of production by consolidating factories at home and abroad involving the budget. Hachigo is currently a member of the company board.
Satsuki Katayama (née Tomonaga; 9 May 1959) is a Japanese politician serving in Japan's House of Councillors, having…Satsuki Katayama (née Tomonaga; 9 May 1959) is a Japanese politician serving in Japan's House of Councillors, having been elected in July 2010 as a candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She previously represented the Shizuoka 7th district in the House of Representatives for one term from 2005 until 2009. She has served as the first woman Minister of Finance since 21 October 2025 in the first and second Takaichi cabinet.
Tsukasa Hojo (Japanese: 北条 司, Hepburn: Hōjō Tsukasa; born March 5, 1959, in Kokura, Kitakyushu, Japan) is a Japanese…Tsukasa Hojo (Japanese: 北条 司, Hepburn: Hōjō Tsukasa; born March 5, 1959, in Kokura, Kitakyushu, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. He studied technical design while still at Kyushu Sangyo University, where he began to draw manga. He worked on several one-shot stories before releasing his serialized works: Cat's Eye, City Hunter and Angel Heart. After the success of Cat's Eye and City Hunter, Hojo went on to work on other series such as Family Compo, a slice-of-life comedy with transgender themes. His most recent series is Angel Heart, a spin–off of City Hunter set in an alternate universe. It was serialized in Weekly Comic Bunch from 2001 to 2010, when the magazine ceased publication. From 2010 to 2017, the series continued under the title Angel Heart 2nd Season in Monthly Comic Zenon. 30 collected volumes have been published so far. Tsukasa Hojo is Takehiko Inoue's mentor. Inoue worked as an assistant to Hojo during the production of City Hunter. Hojo is also a long-time acquaintance of Fist of the North Star illustrator Tetsuo Hara, who was also one of the founders of Coamix. Hojo contributed to the production Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior film series by designing the character of Reina. He was honor guest of the eleventh French Japan Expo which was held in July 2010. Hojo is scheduled to be the Manga Guest of Honor at Japan Expo 2023.
Takeshi Niinami (新浪 剛史 (Niinami Takeshi); born 30 January 1959 in Yokohama) is a Japanese business executive, who was…Takeshi Niinami (新浪 剛史 (Niinami Takeshi); born 30 January 1959 in Yokohama) is a Japanese business executive, who was president, CEO and representative director of Suntory from 2014 until his resignation in September 2025. Suntory is the largest alcoholic beverage maker in Japan, and holds the brands Yamazaki and Jim Beam in its portfolio.
Koji Nagai (Japanese: 永井 浩二, Hepburn: Nagai Kōji) is a Japanese business executive. He served as the Chief Executive…Koji Nagai (Japanese: 永井 浩二, Hepburn: Nagai Kōji) is a Japanese business executive. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of Nomura Holdings (NYSE: NMR).
Ganari Takahashi (高橋がなり, Takahashi Ganari) is a Japanese adult video director and company founder. He founded Soft On…Ganari Takahashi (高橋がなり, Takahashi Ganari) is a Japanese adult video director and company founder. He founded Soft On Demand (SOD), one of the largest adult video conglomerates in Japan.
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 光久, Ishikawa Mitsuhisa; born October 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and planner, as well…Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 光久, Ishikawa Mitsuhisa; born October 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and planner, as well as the co-founder and current chairman of the anime studio Production I.G.
Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (日清紡ホールディングス株式会社, Nisshinbō Hōrudingusu Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese company formerly listed…Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (日清紡ホールディングス株式会社, Nisshinbō Hōrudingusu Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese company formerly listed on the Nikkei 225. It has a diverse line of businesses that include electronics, automobile brakes, mechatronics, chemicals, textiles, papers and real estate.
Hachiro Nitta (新田 八朗, Nitta Hachirō; born 27 August 1958) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of Toyama…Hachiro Nitta (新田 八朗, Nitta Hachirō; born 27 August 1958) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of Toyama Prefecture since 2020.
Sen Yamanaka (山中泉, Yamanaka Sen; born 7 August 1958) is a Japanese businessman, author, and politician. He is a member…Sen Yamanaka (山中泉, Yamanaka Sen; born 7 August 1958) is a Japanese businessman, author, and politician. He is a member of the House of Councillors, elected in 2025 as a candidate of Sanseito, a right-wing party that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yoshiyuki Sankai (born 1958/1959) is a Japanese billionaire businessman and academic. He is the founder, president and…Yoshiyuki Sankai (born 1958/1959) is a Japanese billionaire businessman and academic. He is the founder, president and CEO of the cyborg-robot maker Cyberdyne, as well as a professor of the Graduate School of Systems & Information Engineering at the University of Tsukuba.
The WE League (Japanese: WEリーグ, Hepburn: WE Rīgu), officially the Japan Women's Empowerment Professional Football…The WE League (Japanese: WEリーグ, Hepburn: WE Rīgu), officially the Japan Women's Empowerment Professional Football League (日本女子プロサッカーリーグ, Nihon Joshi Puro Sakkā Rīgu; "Japan Women Pro Football League"), also known as the SOMPO WE League (SOMPO WEリーグ, SOMPO WE Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, is the top flight of women's association football in Japan, starting from the 2021–22 season. It is the first fully-professional women's football league in Japan. The current (2024–25) title holders are Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
Jun Maekawa (前川 淳, Maekawa Jun; 1958-) is a Japanese software engineer, mathematician, and origami artist. He is known…Jun Maekawa (前川 淳, Maekawa Jun; 1958-) is a Japanese software engineer, mathematician, and origami artist. He is known for popularizing the method of utilizing crease patterns in designing origami models, with his 1985 publication Viva Origami, as well as other paperfolding-related theorems and mathematical analysis. By the late 1980s, he was among the origami designers whose technical advances enabled increasingly complex folded subjects, including creatures and insects with multiple legs and antennae. One of them being Maekawa's theorem in relation to the flat-foldability of origami models. Maekawa currently serves on the committee board of the Japanese Origami Academic Society (JOAS), of which he also served as the committee-chief in the previous years. Outside of extensive research in mathematical-related topics, he also publishes articles on origami-related history and occurrences in the JOAS publications. He is the president of a software firm in Japan, and a member of the Astronomical Society of Japan.
Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational holding company, video game developer, publisher, and…Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational holding company, video game developer, publisher, and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing game franchises, such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts, among numerous others. Outside of video game publishing and development, it is also in the business of merchandise, arcade facilities, and manga publication under its Gangan Comics brand. The original Square Enix Co., Ltd. was formed in April 2003 from a merger between Square and Enix, with the latter as the surviving company. Each share of Square's common stock was exchanged for 0.85 shares of Enix's common stock. At the time, 80% of Square Enix staff were made up of former Square employees. As part of the merger, former Square president Yoichi Wada was appointed the president of the new corporation, while former Enix president Keiji Honda was named vice president. Yasuhiro Fukushima, the largest shareholder of the combined corporation and founder of Enix, became chairman. In October 2008, Square Enix conducted a company split between its corporate business and video game operations, reorganizing itself as the holding company Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., while its internally domestic video game operations were formed under the subsidiary Square Enix Co., Ltd. The group operates American, Chinese and European branches, based in Los Angeles, Beijing, Paris, Hamburg, and London respectively. Several of Square Enix's franchises have sold over 10 million copies worldwide after 2020, with Final Fantasy selling 212 million, Dragon Quest selling 97 million, and Kingdom Hearts shipping 36 million. In 2005, Square Enix acquired arcade corporation Taito. In 2009, Square Enix acquired Eidos plc, the parent company of British game publisher Eidos Interactive, which was then absorbed into its European branch. Square Enix is headquartered at the Shinjuku Eastside Square Building in Shinjuku, Tokyo, along with offices at Shibuya and Osaka. It has over 5,000 employees worldwide through its base operations and subsidiaries.
Tadashi Maeda (born December 1957) is governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. He was previously…Tadashi Maeda (born December 1957) is governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. He was previously senior managing director He is a member of the council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. On 10 April 2024, Maeda was among the guests invited to the state dinner hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in honor of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House.
Takayuki Ikeda is the President, CEO, and Representative Director of Toshiba Tec Corporation, a subsidiary of Toshiba.…Takayuki Ikeda is the President, CEO, and Representative Director of Toshiba Tec Corporation, a subsidiary of Toshiba. He has been credited with creating the concept for the video game Super Princess Peach. At Toshiba, he previously served in a number of other roles.
The Gainax employee Yasuhiro Takeda should not be confused with the professor of the same name at National Defense…The Gainax employee Yasuhiro Takeda should not be confused with the professor of the same name at National Defense Academy of Japan. Yasuhiro Takeda (武田 康廣, Takeda Yasuhiro; born 12 September 1957 in Tadaoka, Osaka) is a Japanese anime director and founding member of Gainax; for most of his career, he was General Manager. He is also a two-time chair of the Nihon SF Taikai (DAICON III and the 1988 Mig.Con). In April 1976, he enrolled in Kinki University for nuclear engineering, but began neglecting studies (repeating his sophomore year) when he joined the sci-fi club in April 1977 and became active in organizing clubs, founding the "Confederation of Kansai Student Sci-Fi Clubs". It was through these early activities that Takeda met many other fans, some who would become more involved: at his first convention, Seto-Con ("Sci-Fi Festival 78"), Takeda met Toshio Okada. In November 1990, he married the Japanese writer Hiroe Suga. In 2002, he published a memoir/autobiography about his life (particularly focusing on his college life, involvement in science fiction conventions, and his subsequent career) named The Notenki Memoirs; the name Notenki is an old nickname of Takeda's, derived from his part in Kaiketsu Noutenki. He is portrayed by actor Gitaro in the 2014 TV Drama Aoi Honō based on the autobiographical manga by Kazuhiko Shimamoto, which follows the college years of the future Gainax team.
Masayoshi Son (Japanese: 孫 正義; born Masayoshi Yasumoto, August 11, 1957) is a Japanese entrepreneur, investor, and…Masayoshi Son (Japanese: 孫 正義; born Masayoshi Yasumoto, August 11, 1957) is a Japanese entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. A Zainichi Korean, he is the founder, chairman and chief executive of SoftBank Group (SBG), a technology-focused investment holding company, as well as chairman of UK-based Arm Holdings and US-based Stargate LLC. As an entrepreneur, he achieved notability in software distribution, computing-related book and magazine publishing, and telecommunications in Japan, starting in the 1980s and booming throughout the 1990s and 2000s. His early $20 million investment in Alibaba Group in 2000 grew substantially over the years, reaching a valuation of around $75 billion by 2014 following Alibaba's IPO, and contributing significantly to SoftBank's financial success. SoftBank's 27 percent stake in Alibaba was worth $132 billion in 2018, including additional purchases of the stock since 2000. The morphing of his own telecom company SoftBank Corp. into an investment management firm called SoftBank Group Corp. made him noted worldwide as a stock investor. He is known for his bold investment strategies, sometimes resulting in major losses, particularly with the first and second SoftBank Vision Funds. In 2013, Son was placed 45th on the Forbes magazine's list of the World's Most Powerful People. In 2017 he was named Entrepreneur of the Year at The Asian Awards. As of May 2025, Son ranks 65th on the Forbes's list of The World's Billionaires and is No. 177 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He had for many years the distinction of being the person who had lost the most money in history (more than $59 billion during the dot-com crash of 2000 alone, when his SoftBank shares plummeted), a feat surpassed by Elon Musk in the following decades.
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a…Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a Japanese businessman and professional wrestling promoter. He is the founder and the current head booker of Dream Star Fighting Marigold. He is one of the three founders and former executive producer of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom. Ogawa is often regarded as being instrumental in the modern popularization of women's pro wrestling in Japan.
Mitsuomi Koizumi (小泉光臣, koizumi mitsuomi) is the incumbent president of Japan Tobacco, a Nikkei 225 company. He…Mitsuomi Koizumi (小泉光臣, koizumi mitsuomi) is the incumbent president of Japan Tobacco, a Nikkei 225 company. He replaced Hiroshi Kimura as president in June 2012.
Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record…Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record producer, and business executive. Originally working for a funk band at a US military base, she formed the band ASOCA and won the EastWest '76 Best Keyboardist award, and she performed as a keyboardist for other musicians and bands. Working for CBS/Sony, she released several solo albums, either with the Mimie-Chan Super Band and its later iteration Izumi Kobayashi & Flying Mimi Band or solely with her own name. She also worked as a composer for Japanese media, including "Lum's Love Song" (the theme song for the Urusei Yatsura anime), and hosted TV Tokyo late-night show Rock in Japan. She later moved to London in 1985 and worked as a record producer and industry executive in Europe, serving as president of Cisco Records London.
Masafumi Miyamoto (宮本 雅史, Miyamoto Masafumi, born 1957) is a Japanese investor and businessman who founded the video…Masafumi Miyamoto (宮本 雅史, Miyamoto Masafumi, born 1957) is a Japanese investor and businessman who founded the video game company Square. Miyamoto served as president of Square until 1991.
Masafumi Miyamoto (宮本 雅史, Miyamoto Masafumi, born 1957) is a Japanese investor and businessman who founded the video…Masafumi Miyamoto (宮本 雅史, Miyamoto Masafumi, born 1957) is a Japanese investor and businessman who founded the video game company Square. Miyamoto served as president of Square until 1991.
Shigeru Kitamura (北村 滋, Kitamura Shigeru; born 27 December 1956) is a Japanese police officer who served as Secretary…Shigeru Kitamura (北村 滋, Kitamura Shigeru; born 27 December 1956) is a Japanese police officer who served as Secretary General of the National Security Secretariat from 2019 to 2021 and Director of Cabinet Intelligence from 2011 to 2019. Kitamura was a trusted advisor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on matters of national security.
Toshiyuki Nagashima (永島敏行, Nagashima Toshiyuki) is a Japanese actor. He won the award for Best Newcomer at the 3rd…Toshiyuki Nagashima (永島敏行, Nagashima Toshiyuki) is a Japanese actor. He won the award for Best Newcomer at the 3rd Hochi Film Awards for Kaerazaru hibi and for Best Actor at the 6th Hochi Film Awards for Enrai.
Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru; born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist…Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru; born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist of the jazz fusion band Casiopea and producer of the Train Simulator series of Japanese video games. Mukaiya joined Casiopea during its formation in 1977 (with guitarist Issei Noro, drummer Takashi Sasaki and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai) and remained in the group until their hiatus in 2006. Since leaving the band he has created his own musical production team, "Mukaiya Club." He also serves as the president and CEO of the company Ongakukan, which produces professional train simulators for Japanese transit systems and has distributed video games to the general public. Mukaiya has also appeared in the event of Nico Nico Douga. Mukaiya has composed around 200 distinct melodies for over 110 subway stations in Japan. In 2019, British television presenter James May interviewed Mukaiya for episode 3 of James May: Our Man in Japan, discussing Mukaiya's involvement in composing melodies for train stations. In episode 11 of Great Japanese Railway Journeys, broadcast in April 2026, Mukaiya was interviewed by Michael Portillo and a figure of about 300 melodies was given by Mukaiya.
